When I first began this blog, I would read whatever I could get my hands on in time to accomplish my goal of one book a week for that first year. As a result, I read a lot of really terrible books. But that year was not spent in vain; I also read a lot of really good books that I enjoyed and seemed to all fit into similar genres. Eventually I realized that I kept returning to the same sections in Barnes & Noble - the social and behavioral sciences. I visited similar sections in the library - history, medicine, anthropology, biographies, self-help books. So I decided to began exploring these topics even further.
Flash forward to 2013, when I had to choose a major to finish up my bachelor's degree. Of all of the programs offered at Thomas Edison State University, one topic piqued my interest: organizational leadership. The courses would be applicable to all different career fields, including my own: a nonprofit director. Then, just one month after beginning my classes, I was laid off. Thanks to the fantastic professional network I built while working for the nonprofit, I landed a job immediately and didn't miss a day of work or a paycheck. And I continued to work on my degree.
It turned out that the science of leadership was a fascinating one. Not every class was easy (MATH REQUIRED) but I felt good about the major I had chosen. Of course, there were many theoretical courses, but others told the stories of previous leaders who had been instrumental in changing the course of business and in some cases, the course of history. In the end, my studies made me even more interested in history, sociology, and anthropology. I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership in March 2016.
Before I even finished my bachelor's degree, I decided that I wanted to join the top 12% of Delaware's population by pursuing my master's degree. I enrolled at Wilmington University for my Master of Science in Management and began accelerated classes as soon as I could. (I work for a hospital system in Delaware, so it made sense.) Once again, the study of sociology and anthropology came into play. A great deal of the work required for the degree focused on public health problems, medical ethics, the Affordable Care Act, medicinal marijuana, and economics. I did my thesis on the issues of mental health and substance abuse and recommended the clubhouse model as a solution that could be implemented nearby the hospital where I work. I finished the coursework for my master's degree in June of this year and received word just a few days ago that my degree was conferred.
Books have been part of my personal development for many years, but it was only in the past few that I realized how important a role they continue to play in my professional development. I've read books that have given me clues about how to move forward in different aspects of my life and career. I've read books that have made me more sympathetic to the plight of those less fortunate than me. I've read books that have taught me about the brain and its inner workings and why I am the way I am and why you are the way you are. The path that was set before me as a child has been forever altered because of reading.
I urge you to make reading a priority in your life, if for no other reason than because it has done so much for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment